Wisdom of Mollo Culture Kallawaya
Despite their foreing condition among the Incas, their fame as the holders of
science, allowed the kallawayas to enjoy a high rank due to their command of the
vegetal animal and mineral pharmacy knowledge and the treatment of multiple
sicknesses.
Their long treks through the Andean world and its surrounding taking health to
the ayllus, they are recalled by the kallawaya dance that is present in the
carnival in Oruro and they characterize for their agility for traversing the
mountains.
These herbolary physicians of the region of Charazani, Curva, Niņo Korin,
K'anlaya, Chajaya, and so on, northwest of La Paz, they all belong to the
so-called Mollo Culture, a direct descendant of Tihuanacu culture.
For that reason, even today, despite the mutations and mixture of races, the
children of the Mollo Culture or Kallawaya keep their distinctive traits: for
instance, whether they speak quechua (runa simi = people's tongue) or aymara
(jake-aru), they descend from a noble lineage and they hold a higher status.
A secret language:
Many ethno linguists state that the language that the kallawaya uses is but the
secret language of the Incas (machay jucay) that the "earful" royal Inca would
speak among them, using the common quechua for the rest of the people: hatum
runas (a big wings) and llajta runas (town people) of middle class; yanaconas for
the servitude and mitamaes or pawns.
The Kallawayas learnt that the privileged language due to the deep confidence
that the Incas bestowed their "kamilis" or healers. After the conquest, the
native physicians returned to the kollasuyo, taking along the secret language,
which, they now use in their pray and ritual practices.
Natural Medicine:
In the "khatus"of the present kallawas, all sorts of charms, talismans and
offerings are sold for mythical characters of the Andean cosmogony.
The vast variety of medical plants used in aromatic smokings and curative
poultice come from the different ecological "niches": the plains, the valleys,
yungas, plateau, mountain ranges and even the coats: leeches, seashells and guano
(dung).
All this "khapakcacherio" (stand) has a full acceptation as popular medicine. The
kallawayas are famous as naturist physicians "yatiris"and "chamakanis"or malign
beings and the "sajras"of demoniacal character.
Ceremonial Dance:
This entire world has been transported to the dance of the kallawayas, whose rich
dance and costumary is the expression of the "yatiri" (healer) with his relevant
status inside the community and of profound respect in the Andean world.
The choreography is notable for the "llantucha" of "suri" that is the awning made
of ostrich feathers that the itinerant physician uses for covering himself
against sunburn or the raindrop in his long treks carrying spiritual and material
health to the ayllus.
His long treks stretch along and over the seas, where, loaded with his "khapchos"
or "male" bags full of herbs, mixtures, and talismans charges against sicknesses
considered incurable.
The agile and synchronized jumps express the physical display of the itinerant
physician, overcoming, in his trekking over brooks, mountains and gullies.
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